Latch for electric fence gates



l L. J. scHlLLlNG 2,454,348

LATCH FOR ELECTRIC FENCE GATES Nov. 23, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 1l, 1945 N0V 23., 1948 1.. J. scHlLLING 2,454,348

LATCH FOR ELECTRIC FENCE GATES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1l, 1945 Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE LATCH FOR ELECTRIC FENCE GATES Lorell John Schilling, Galesville, Wis., assignor to Babson Bros. Co., a corporation of Illinois Application June 11, 1945, Serial No. 598,837

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a latch for an electric fence gate and more particularly to a latch that is so insulated as to be substantially shock proof under normal circumstances.

Electric fence gates are usually merely means for lowering the -fence wire between two posts of an electric fence to permit driving a vehicle or animals between the posts. It has been customary to provide such gates by attachment to one end of the fence wire of a spring pressed handle with a hooking or latching attachment which may be readily attached to and detached from the other end of the fence wire. This handle was covered by an linsulating material and in dry weather was adequate. After a rain, snow, heavy dew, frost or the like, however, the water collected on the handle would act to conduct the electric charge flowing through the fence to the hand of the person operating the gate and cause a painful electric shock.

The present invention comprises a gate with a curved spring wire body and an insulated handle having a skirt portion spaced suiciently from any metal portion of the fence or gate and so positioned as to render it substantially impossible for water, frost, or the like to bridge the space to conduct the charge to the hand of the person grasping the handle. The invention also comprises means or maintaining this handle in the -proper position for maximum efficiency, as by so locating the center of gravity of the mounting for the gate as to maintain the handle upright. Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a yfence equipped with a gate embodying one form of the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view partially in vertical section of the gate shown in Figure 1 prior to being closed; Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l of an alternate construction; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken of the line 55 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and Figures 7 and 8 are side elevational views of alternate gate constructions embodying the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 3, two fence posts I0 and II are shown as provided with narrowed tops I2 to which are f I I and its end is wound around one end of a connecting member II the other end of which is encircled by a loop I8 of the gate member I9.

This gate member I9 is a rather heavy, but resilient metal wire or rod, as a spring steel rod, formed with a horizontal portion 2U which ycurves downwardly at 2I to provide a large downwardly extending loop 22. It then rises upwardly at 23 to a horizontal portion 24 which terminates in a downwardly extending hook 25, To the portion 23 is secured, as by soldering, a circular band 26 which provides a base for the member 2l which may be of wood or other non-conducting material, which projects upwardly and which is threaded at its upper end to receive an inter-- nally threaded handle 28. This handle is an insulator of glass or other non-conducting material. It may vbe the same device as the insulator I3 on the fence post and is provided with an outwardly and downwardly extending shirt portion 28a which spaces the lower portion of the insulation from the upwardly projecting support member 2l. The band 26 is provided with outwardly extending flanges 29, 29, to which is attached by nuts 30, 3U and bolts 3l, 3l a looped guard member 32 through which extends the portion 2I of the gate member I9. These nuts and bolts also act to attach Vthe llanges 29 together to lock the circular band 26 around the support member 21 and hold it in the desired position.

The gate member 2I is so arranged, as seen in Figure 2, that the greater portion of its weight is well below the wires I4 and I5, and hence below the center of gravity of the mounting or suspension for the gate. This results in the maintaining of the gate member in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 at all times that the gate is closed. The handle and its support member are therefore, always vertical and always extend upwardly while the gate is connected or closed. This means that the inside of the skirt portion of the insulator handle and the adjacent part of its support member will always remain dry in the event Kof rain, snow, dew or frost and a water electrical connection, or bridging of the space between the outside of the insulator and any portion of the gate, cannot be made.

The loop 22 in the gate not only acts to maintain the center of gravity of the gate below the wires I4 and l5 for vthe above purpose but also provides a spring means to permit opening and closing of the gate. The guard member 32 prevents inadvertent stretching of the spring beyond the limit of the resilience of the wire.

Figures 4-8 show alternate gate constructions embodying the invention. In Figure 4 the construction of the posts il) and il, insulators i3, and wires lll, l5, are similar to those shown in Figure 1 except that the end of wire I5 is wound around a loop 46 in the end of gate member 4l which comprises a heavy resilient wire or rod formed with a downwardly projecting loop 42, a substantially horizontal portion 43 and terminating in a downwardly extending hook 44. On the horizontal portion i3 is tightly secured an upwardly projecting support member 45 with its upper end threaded to receive the handle insulator 23. As shown in Figures 5 and 6 the support member d5 is a piece of sheet metal bent around the portion 43 of the gate and back upon itself, the threads being cut in the edges of the upper ends of the member, these upper end portions being oppositeiy bent. The loop 43 or" this embodiment is similar in construction and pur pose to the loop 2i? in the embodiment of Figures 1-3.

In Figure 7 the gate 5i) comprises a piece of heavy wire or rod with a loop 5l to be attached to one end of the fen-ce wire. The wire curves downwardly from this loop to form a large spring loop 52, then horizontal to form portion 53 to which a handle 28 is attached in the manner shown in Figures 5 and 6 and then upwardly until it terminates in a hook 5d. This form as well as the form next described again keeps the center of gravity of the gate below the line of the fence wire, and again provides sufficient yield in the body of the gate to enable easy hooking and unhooking oi the gate.

In Figure 8 the gate 60 is so curved as to be generally s-shaped with a Weight 6l, as a name plate, secured to the bottom of the V to maintain the center of gravity well below the fence wires, the handle 23 being attached in the manner shown in Figures 5 and 6 to a short horizontal portion 62 formed adjacent to and slightly above the hook 63.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modiiications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and a1'- rangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In an electric fence having a stationary wire portion and a movable gate wire portion, a latch for connecting said portions, comprising: a heavy wire member comprising a relatively large downwardly extending resilient loop having one end portion adapted to be normally permanently attached to said gate wire portion and having its other end portion adapted to be readily attached to and detached from said stationary wire portion; a support member extending upwardly from the last mentioned end portion of the heavy wire member; and a handle comprising a skirted insulator mounted on said support member, the cen ter of gravity of said latch being below a line through its attachment portions.

2. In an electric fence having a stationary wire portion and a movable gate wire portion, a latch for connecting said portions, comprising: a heavy wire member comprising a relatively large downwardly extending resilient loop having one end portion adapted to be normally permanently attached to said gate Wire portion and having its other end portion adapted to be readily attached to and detached from said stationary wire portion; a support member extending upwardly from the last mentioned end portion of the heavy wire member; a handle comprising a skirted insulator mounted on said support member, the center of gravity of said latch being below a line through its attachment portions; and stop means preventing expansion of the resilient loop beyond the limits of resilience of the wire of which it is formed.

3. In an electric fence having a stationary Wire portion and a movable gate wire portion, a latch for connecting said portions, comprising: a main connector member having a resilient portion and having one end portion adapted to be normally permanently attached to said gate wire portion and having its other end portion adapted to be readily attached to and detached from said sta tionary wire portion; a support member extending upwardly from the last mentioned end portion of the main connector member; and a handle comprising a skirted insulator mounted on said support member, the center of gravity of said latch being below a line through its attachment portions.

4. In an electric fence having a stationary wire portion and a movable gate wire portion, a latch for connecting said portions, comprising: a main connector member having a resilient portion and having one end portion adapted to be normally permanently attached to said gate wire portion and having its other end portion adapted to be readily attached to and detached from said stationary wire portion; a support member extending upwardly from the last mentioned end portion of the main connector member; a handle comprising a skirted insulator mounted on said support member, the center of gravity of said latch being below a line through its attachment portions; and stop means preventing expansion of said resilient portion beyond the limits of resilience thereof.

LORELL JOHN SCI-IILLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATESI PATENTS Number Name Date 126,417 Seller May 7, 1872 583,577 Martin June l, 1897 747,657 Spencer Dec. 22, 1903 867,759 Saunders Oct. 8, 1907 1,620,414 Vanderlip Mar. 8, 1927 1,860,910 Taylor May 31, 1932 2,306,661 Gengler Dec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 495,362 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1938 526,625 Great Britain Sept. 23, 1940 

